Basic Bird Handling and Restraint

By Erin Morton, 4th year veterinary student at University of Wisconsin-Madison and Dane County Humane Society veterinary student extern

Handling a bird for a physical exam can be stressful for both the handler and the bird. It is important that you observe the bird in the cage before trying to handle it. A healthy bird should be bright and alert. The bird should be able to perch normally, this includes, balancing on the perch without a “tail bob” and not sitting on the bottom of the cage. The bird should not be puffed up or have increased respiratory effort. These are all signs of a sick bird. Restraint of a sick bird should only be done by an experienced veterinarian. However, restraining a healthy bird for a routine physical exam should be done on an annual basis. To begin, again observe the bird and its environment. Look for evidence that the bird is eating and drinking normally. If the bird is on a seed diet you can look for empty hulls in its food dish. Looking at the droppings can help asses if a bird is healthy. The feces should be formed and free of blood or undigested food. If the bird appears healthy you are ready to restrain the bird for its physical exam.

It is best to move the cage to a small room with the door closed. The handler should have a towel that is a proper size to cover the bird but not so big that you can’t feel the bird underneath your fingers. A wash cloth would be a good choice for a parakeet, a hand towel for a cockatiel and a medium sized bath towel for a parrot and larger birds. Everything that is needed for the exam should be ready before catching the bird to minimize the amount of time the bird is being restrained. Once you are ready, turn the light off in the room. This will help to confuse the bird and allow the handler to cover the bird with the appropriate towel. Sometimes it is best to catch a bird on the bottom of the cage or the floor of the exam room. One should never try to catch a bird while it is perched on its owner. This can be dangerous to the owner as the bird is very likely to bite while being caught. Once the bird is underneath the towel, the handler should carefully place his/her fingers around both sides of the bird’s neck/cheeks, making sure not to put pressure around the neck. This will allow the handler to have control of the head and beak to prevent any bite injuries. The head of the bird should be positioned loosely between the handler’s index finger and thumb, also making sure that the towel is not rubbing on the bird’s eyes. Larger parrots such as macaws tend to bruise on their faces if you press too firmly on their cheeks. The bird should be positioned so that the back of the bird is resting in the handler’s palm. The wings should be positioned against the body of the bird and should be wrapped inside the towel to prevent the bird from struggling and flapping its wings. It is important not push down on the body/keel of the bird. This can make it hard for the bird to breathe. To prevent the bird from biting the handler’s fingers, a good distractor is letting the bird bite on the towel it is wrapped in during the exam. Once the bird is comfortably in this position a thorough physical exam can be done in a safe manner.

After the exam is complete, the bird can be positioned right side up while still in the towel. Allow the bird’s feet to be touching the ground or bottom of the cage and then release the bird from the towel. Most birds will vocalize and ruffle their feathers after being released. Let the bird relax and adjust to its environment after being put back in its cage.

Following these guidelines should help minimize stress and allow for a safe and thorough physical exam.